PC3 Devotions

Matthew 5:13-16

13“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Everybody is leading somebody, somewhere. None of us are simply standing by. Each morning we wake up and go about our business interacting with others. In these interactions we are influencing people and pointing them in a direction. Through our actions and our words, we are leading individuals. Whether it’s our family, co-workers, neighbors or random encounters, we are influencing individuals through the way we live our lives. But, many of us don’t stop long enough to ponder where we are leading them. If these people followed you, where would they end up?

Coming to the realization that people are looking at the way you leverage your influence can be a bit intimidating at first.  Our influence must be based and viewed solely through our identity in Christ and the truths of who God says we are found in scripture.  Unfortunately, many of us feel uneasy or nervous when confronted with a picture of ourselves seen through God’s eyes. Rather than shrink away from our responsibility, we must use how God’s word defines us as our rallying cry for change.

In Matthew 5:13-16, the imagery of salt and light is used to describe the basic character of a Christian’s life. Captured in this passage is the reason we must make every effort to be great stewards of the influence we’ve been given. The Greek word for salt is ‘halas.’ They used this term to describe a preservative or something which cleanses and purifies. In essence, we have been charged with doing the purifying work of Jesus here on earth. To be like salt means to add something that is beneficial to the earth. By living your life differently, you are adding the essential qualities of Jesus to this world.

Jesus continues on in verses 14 and 15 by describing believers as the light of the world. This imagery connected with the listeners of this era because rabbis thought of Israel as a light to the world. It also points back to Isaiah 42:6 where God called the suffering servant to be a light to the nations. In the gospel of John, Jesus is described as the light from God which shines into the darkness of the world. Now, Jesus is calling us to be a light in a dark world.

This leaves us with some pretty challenging questions. How can we be a light to the world? What must the world see? If we don’t live as the salt then what is the point in being salt in the first place? If I am a believer and don’t try to live as a light to those around me, what is the point? Jesus tells us who we are. We are the salt and light. We are called to make a difference and directly impact culture. If our salt doesn’t add flavor to this world and our light fails to illuminate then what is the point? Your ability to influence begins and ends with your integrity and walk with God.

As salt and light we are urged to go out into the world. Not Jesus, but you. By referring to us as the salt, Jesus is telling us that we matter in terms of doing God’s work here on Earth. God is calling each of us to be a light in a darkened world. Our hope is that the way we live our lives will lead men and women to glorify God and catch a glimpse of the transformation which occurs when God captures someone’s heart. Being salt is about pointing others toward God. Leadership is about serving God in such a way that He is glorified and you are able to influence those you touch in the ways of God. You lead by living as Jesus has called you to follow Him. Influence overflows from your walk.

Each one of us must ask ourselves whether we are being intentional with the responsibility and influence we’ve been given. What are you doing with this message of hope? This question changes everything because it moves you from participating to owning the mission.

Leverage is simply the power to influence something in a particular direction. Leverage is about taking personal responsibility for the Kingdom of God. One begins to leverage their life when they begin to understand God has given them the power to influence others through the way they live their lives.

Reaching people is not a passive activity. Salt must make contact in order to make a difference. Helping someone walk with God requires taking the time to get to know them. The challenge before you is to start somewhere with someone. Just begin to move in. Everywhere you look are hurting people waiting for someone to engage them.

Reaching involves identifying who is within your reach. Whether you believe it or not, God has you right where He wants you. All around you are people who are desperate for meaning in their life. They want nothing more than to hear there is a God full of grace and mercy who desires to be in a relationship with them.  Now pause for a second: Who are the “they” in your life?

God, let me steward the influence you’ve given me well. May I realize that every moment is an opportunity to influence and impact others for your name. Allow the excitement I feel over being lavished with your grace to overflow in my actions and words. Amen.

Isaiah 26:3

3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

We must develop a view of the world that will allow us to live in a world that does not make sense.  Worry, first, comes from a condition and then a perspective. The condition is that we are fallen.  We have sinned and live in a world that suffers the consequences of sin.  In the beginning, we ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

We gained knowledge we were not intended to have.  This is where our fundamental view of our world comes from.  We know that things are not as they should be and can do nothing about it…and it drives us crazy.

Sin originated when we failed to trust God and took matters into our own hands.  What if we don’t get what we want?  And we have been worried about that question ever since. That question is what often drives out freak-outs.

The second part deals with perspective. Without truth there is only speculation.  There can be no understanding.  We trust in our own view and wonder why the world doesn’t work.

Truth is the foundation upon which our faith is built.  Our faith must be rooted in a relationship.  This is where we understand trust. We are not trusting in mere information but, rather, our Savior Jesus Christ.

This should be our mindset when we encounter situations we cannot control or of which we do not know the outcome. The result of possessing the correct mindset is having the peace of God, which passes all understanding; keep your hearts and minds through Christ.  Our hearts and minds will not stray from God’s will if we have the correct mindset.

This is where we find perspective and a peace that passes all understanding. It gives us the strength to walk in a world that doesn’t make sense!

Lord, I receive this promise.  Your perfect peace will sustain me as my mind is “stayed on you.”  Lord, help me to trust in you – to trust in the Truth of who you are.  Release me from trying to figure out how I can be at peace in my present circumstances when your peace defies understanding.  Let me fix my mind on you instead of trying to make sense and walk boldly in your truth with a guarded heart and mind.  Amen.

“…He (God) sustains the universe (as He once founded it) by His boundless might, regulates it by His wisdom, preserves it by His goodness…bears with it in His mercy, and watches over it by His protection.” –John Calvin

Psalm 50:1

1 The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets.

Psalm 46:1

1 God is our refuge and strength, an EVER-PRESENT help in trouble.

Isaiah 41:10

10 So do not fear, for I AM WITH YOU; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Deuteronomy 4:7

7 What other nation is so great as to have their gods NEAR them the way the LORD our God is NEAR us whenever we pray to him?

God, where are you? Are you there? Do you even care what is going on with me? If you loved me, how could you let this happen? These are just a few of the questions we ask when God feels a million miles away. In these moments of perceived distance, we let our experiences shape our theology and belief about the unchanging characteristics of God.

Instead of relying in the God who revealed Himself in Scripture, we often trust what we see and experience. This puts us on a shaky foundation. It would be very easy to perceive God as one who took a step back after creation and just watches everything unfold from a distance. This is only a hop, skip and jump away from saying, “God is not here…and if he is, he certainly doesn’t care. He won’t help us.”

The perceived lack of God’s involvement in our lives also opens up the door to feelings of insignificance, worthlessness and doubt. We wrestle with why God moves and speaks to other people, but doesn’t seem close to us. We reason that this must be due to our lack of value in His eyes. This can be nowhere further from the truth.

God’s providence is our provision. Providence simply describes the ongoing power of God to sustain, guide, govern and care for His creation. Author and theologian RC Sproul says “the doctrine of providence declares that God’s providential rule extends to all things great and small, from the huge to the minute, the infinite to the infinitesimal.” This teaches that Christians are never in the grip of blind forces like fortune, chance, luck or fate.

Each event that comes your way is a new opportunity to trust, obey and rejoice; knowing that all that happens to you is for your spiritual and eternal God. Sadly, we often fail to recognize His working because we tend to define it too narrowly. There is no denying God being involved in miracles like surviving a devastating car crash or a tumor disappearing after prayer. However, if these big events are our only definition of God’s providence, we will miss much of His providential working.

God cares for us and shows it all the time by His working in our lives. You getting up this morning is an act of God’s providence. Taking your last breath is an proof of God’s providence. But because God is invisible to us, we often fail to recognize His active presence in our lives. God is not only actively involved in our lives, He is also intimately involved. God’s providence is our provision and if we believe in God’s provision, then we can trust Him with our needs.

When we rightly view providence, our perspective changes. We begin to see His mercy and grace everywhere as He moves through secondary means to care for us. You may think that what you do is not that important in light of eternity, but providence says otherwise. Your work matters to God because He is at work often through your work. You can be the catalyst of God’s providence in the life of another. If we believe God’s providence, we are aware of God’s activity. Once we are aware, we can respond.

Our response should be one of gratitude. When our understanding of God is accurate, we can Him as the great and all-powerful God who cares for us through His continued exercise of His power, mercy, grace and love. He is greater than we know and closer than we imagine.

God, thank you for always being with me, even in those moments where I wonder where you are. You move in my life in so many ways I fail to see. May I be more aware of your providence so that I can respond and trust you with all my needs. Amen.

Proverbs 14:27
 27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

Proverbs 19:23

23 The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

The flu bug finally made its’ temporary residence at our home. With my wife out of commission and our two little ones under the weather as well, I took a day off from work to take care of the family. The girls had fallen asleep on the couch and I got sucked into watching day time talk shows. As I flipped through the channels, I came across an episode of Maury Povich that, according to the introduction, promised people would face their biggest fears and be cured by the end of the hour long show.

The way they hyped it up I thought I was going to see people freaking out over huge snakes, hairy spiders or crowded elevators. To my surprise, it turned out the guests possessed a fear of fluffy bunnies, bald people and, believe it or not, cotton balls.  It wasn’t a healthy dislike for these things but rather a dose of fear that elicited squirming in chairs, panic attacks, sobbing and eventually hysterically running off stage when the object came into their line of sight.

I couldn’t help but chuckle as a grown man was reduced to tears over the presence of a floppy eared bunny. It was just plain silly and odd. Even more perplexing than what I caught on the morning talk shows is how many Christians deep down inside have an undiagnosed and unhealthy fear: theophobia or the “fear of God.” For many of us the phrase “the fear of the Lord” is a pretty confusing, if not intimidating idea. For the next three weeks, we’ll be exploring how our “theophobia” has steered us in the wrong direction and given us a false view of who God is. We tend to fear God because we see Him as fickle, changing His mind about us based on our actions. However, our God is righteous and unchanging, worthy of our attention and respect.

The term “fear of God” has been used to keep people cowering before God as though He is simply waiting for them to cross the line so He can demonstrate His power and wrath.  God is not fickle in the things He asks us to do.  He is not cruel in the way He treats His children.  He always has a grand purpose for every relationship, for every encounter, for every difficulty, for every moment.

If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom (Psalm 111:9, 10) then it is critical we begin to reclaim this term “fear”. The scriptures use the term “fear of the Lord” over and over again.  Most versions keep this phrase in tact and it can be viewed as reverent trust in the creator (Isaiah 33:6 and 1 Samuel 12:24).  It is connected to wonder, marvel and awe in His presence and power (Jeremiah 5:21-23, Exodus 14).  Yet, the intended meaning often gets lost in translation.

Our definition of this fear feeds all the worst parts about who we think God is and what we think about Him. We have this fear mentality that defines everything in terms of how it may harm me.  But a reverent fear understands there is something far more difficult to repair than something physical.  It is not about our safety or the guarantee that we will not be hurt.  The fear of God is about who we see, who we trust and who defines the way in which we live. Jesus talks about this point in Luke 12:

Luke 12:4-7 

 4″ I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

In order to begin to see the fear of the Lord as a gift, one must view it through the contexts of both God’s authority and goodness. One without the other gives you a skewed view of Him. Only seeing his authority would cause you to be waiting for lightening bolts to strike anytime you screwed up or got caught in sin. In essence, this fear is driven by our belief that God is fickle and according to scripture this is not true. The God we serve is one who is consistent in His love for us (Hebrews 13:8). He is a God of justice (having to deal with our sin) and mercy (sending His son Jesus to die in our place). One filled with righteousness and loving-kindness. We must see God and feel His love. This type of fear draws you near and inspires wonder. Fear is a healthy respect for His authority and His willingness to use it.  This revering and awe produce in us obedience.

The fear of the Lord produces in us a posture that enables wisdom and knowledge to take root in our lives. We must position ourselves to see God for God. This starts by understanding we are not here on our own terms and that everyday is a gift from God.

One of our hopes with the Greater Than series is that God would introduce Himself to you through His Word. Our prayer is that your eyes will be opened to His character and that this encounter will transform your heart.

We began this week’s devotionals with Psalm 63:3 where the author declares God’s loving-kindness is “better than life.” Let’s repeat that statement. His loving-kindness is better than life. In a world where everything is vying for our attention and affection, this proclamation is unbelievable.

More often that not, we give our heart to lesser things in hopes of experiencing that life which has alluded us. Hearing that God’s loving-kindness is better than life should cause us to stop and reflect. What is it about His love that brings satisfaction, security and contentment? Today, we want scripture to answer that question for us. Here is a list (far from exhaustive) of what His loving-kindness provides for us:

EVERLASTING LOVE

Jeremiah 31:3

3 The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”

IMMOVEABLE LOVE

Isaiah 54:10

10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

IMMEASURABLE LOVE

Psalm 103:11

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;

LIFE GIVING LOVE

Psalm 119:88

88 In your unfailing love preserve my life, that I may obey the statutes of your mouth.

CONSUMING LOVE

Psalm 32:10

10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.

INTIMATE LOVE

Psalm 86:13

13 For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead.

ENDURING LOVE

1 Chronicles 16:34

 34 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

This is what we should expect when we take refuge in God’s love.  His loving-kindness provides us with a secure foundation and gives us the courage to follow and trust. Take a moment to look over this list. Make a note of what you want to cling to today as you follow Him.

God, I am in awe of your loving-kindness towards me. It overwhelms me and, if I’m honest, there are moments when I doubt it to be true. Yet, your love remains constant. Help me to trust the truth of your love. Amen.

Hebrews 4:12

¹² For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Few things are more aggravating for a teenager than having a broken leg during the summer. As his friends play outside, he is stuck in doors watching television, bored on the Internet or reading a magazine. The highlight of his day is attempting to soothe an itch he can’t quite reach inside his cast. Summer was supposed to be spent goofing off at the park or city pool. Then came the collision that left his leg broken and his summer plans forever changed.

He finds it increasingly difficult to resist the urge to grab a saw or scissors and free himself from the restraints of his cast. Yet, trying to get back on his feet before his leg is properly healed can have devastating effects: excruciating pain, a hitch in his step, a noticeable limp or even worse, causing a deeper break.

Chances are good he will end up right back in a new cast for an even longer amount of time all because he was unwilling to let the cast do its job. The only objective for the cast is to put his leg in the perfect environment for change to occur.

It helps his broken leg heal.

The same is true when it comes to our heart and the effect a collision with God’s truth causes. Only in the midst of our brokenness can we be truly healed and come through the other side with a new heart.

Such a collision occurs when our perspective of how things are or should be collides with God. When we run smack into the truth, when the way we see things gets challenged, we typically do not respond by surrendering.

But, when we collide with truth, as well as God’s love and mercy, it transforms us, shifting how we see things, how we respond and how we walk. However, without placing ourselves in an environment where God can begin the transformation process, our close encounter will never make it to our heart. We must allow what we experience to sink deeper.

Like the teenager who wants to rid himself of the cast, we sometimes try to speed up or completely avoid the formation process of our heart. There is no vision or plan for our growth. We are either growing into what we were made to be or shrinking from it. The choice facing us is whether we will be intentional or not about the formation process.

Romans 12:2 says to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. A renewed mind, a new way of seeing, is critical for us to offer ourselves to God and sacrifice our purposes for His. It requires submission to the truth.

Formation happens as a result of encounter. We are clay in the hands of the potter (Isaiah 64:8). As God presses in us, as a lump of clay, it is because He loves us. This sounds scary, doesn’t it?

Consider the opposite for a second. If He leaves us as a single lump of clay, then He doesn’t love us.

His shaping and forming us is an expression of His love. We are being shaped into His image. If the clay goes untouched for too long it becomes hard and dry. What the creator does is place His hands in water to keep it moist and pliable. Jesus is the living water that keeps us from becoming dry.

We must learn to surrender to the truth in order to be shaped by God. This begins when we become increasingly more aware of what we are being formed into. We encounter His truth and love when we begin to see God as God. This shifts our focus off ourselves and towards God. The formation occurs as our sense of holiness is enhanced. When we accept the invitation into God’s presence, we begin to align ourselves with His purposes. A maturing vision of God shapes our character, as our heart becomes His very own.

God, may I not rush the formation process. When I collide with your Truth, help me to posture myself in a way that this truth would be formed into my character. Enable me to view the shaping of my character as an expression of your love for me. Amen.

Isaiah 9:2

² The people walking in darkness
   have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
   a light has dawned.

Isaiah 9:6

⁶ For to us a child is born,
   to us a son is given,
   and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

The waiting is over.  Everything that we have been hoping for has come to pass.  We have seen a great light. The Child was born.  The Son was given.

His life was given so that our sins would be dealt with and His grace would reign. His life was offered to demonstrate God’s character. Through His life, we are able to witness God’s love and faithfulness.
His life was resurrected so that His presence would remain with us and death would be behind us.

He is our Wonderful Counselor who heals our hearts. He is our Mighty God who strengthens our faith. He is our Everlasting Father who awakens our future. He is the Prince of Peace who makes a sure path for our walks.

Lets rest on His character as we celebrate His arrival into the world and the certainty of His return.  We walk by faith until that time.

Lord, I receive Your great light to awaken my hope and passion for your life. May your life be reflected in my own.  I will walk in your light for healing, strength, vision, and security.  Thank you for coming to bring me life.  Amen.

Imagine you are just minding your own business  when out of the blue (literally) you get a message that announces that you would be saved.  Saved from what you might ask.

This seems like a logical question.What exactly do I need to be saved from?  Hardship.  Economic downturns and financial struggles.  A bad marriage.  Crazy kids.  The dating game.  The list could go on and on.

It could get more serious.  The idea of being saved seems to imply that we are in danger.

Nevertheless, this is the message the shepherds received while they were simply minding their own business and doing their jobs. Consider these words found in Luke:

Luke 2:8-14
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.  And the angel said to them, “ Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that shall be for all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you:  you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!”

This passage introduces us to the purpose of the arrival of Christ into the world.  Good news which will bring about great joy. The news is simply that a Savior has arrived. But the question still holds.  What has He saved us from?

We see in the stories of Jesus that forgiveness seems to be His priority.  Forgiveness is what makes us right with God.  It restores our relationship to Him. Forgiveness is the way God deals with us in our sin.  He punished our sin on the cross.  This cross was the point of His arrival.  The good news is that His cross made a way for our sins to be forgiven.

God punished our sin on the cross. God arrived in order for this to be possible–for His righteousness to be available to everyone. This purpose was promised long before He came.  His purpose was not a surprise.  He came to be our Savior and to carry our sin to bring about our salvation.  The prophet Isaiah wrote about His arrival 800 years before He came:

Isaiah 55:6
All we like sheep have gone astray; and have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

So as we prepare, reflect on your Savior.  You have been saved from sin and death.  You have been saved from despair, emptiness and hopelessness. You have been saved from a life apart from God. This was His design and the purpose for which He came.

Lord, I am thankful for you, my Savior.  I come before you with a renewed sense of awe in light of your mercy.  I am humbled by your love for me.  I am revived by the life you bring.  Today, I simply bask in your goodness as my Savior.  As I ponder the depths from which I have been saved, awaken in me your heart for the world into which you came.  A Savior has come.  Amen.

Matthew 18: 21-35

²¹ Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

²³ “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. ²⁵ Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

²⁶ “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ ²⁷ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

²⁸ “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

²⁹ “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

³⁰ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. ³¹ When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

³² “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. ³³ Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ ³⁴ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

³⁵ “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

In Colossians 2:13-14, Isaiah 53:1-7). Our concern should now focus on how our actions will advance the kingdom of God and not on our personal well-being or selfish desires.

God, thank you for the amazing forgiveness you extend to me. May I grasp the depths of this forgiveness in order to forgive those who have hurt me. Enable me to trust you with my hurt and pain. Thank you for being my comforter. Amen.

Yesterday we learned having a posture of trust brings healing and refreshment. This deep desire for soul rest is found when we trust. Yet, rest seems to be the polar opposite of what many of us are experiencing.

Why is that? Instead of trusting God, we rely on self-sufficiency to get through our days. Our natural reaction is to respond to life based on our limited perspective and ever-changing circumstances. We act independently of God. Our pride has us believing our ways and our wisdom are best. In Proverbs 3:7, we are commanded to change our ways:

Proverbs 3:7 (NASB)

7 DO NOT BE WISE IN YOUR OWN EYES; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

“Proverb” comes from a Hebrew word that means “to rule or to govern.”  The advice that is given in its pages can have a profound impact on our actions and our words. Throughout this book, Solomon urges his readers to pursue wisdom and understanding. From Solomon’s perspective, this pursuit should only have one destination. God should serve as the ultimate source of wisdom.

However, it is up to us if we are willing to put our pride aside and be a student. After all, there is no need for a teacher if a student views themselves as the wisest one in the room. The greatest obstacle to our pursuit of true wisdom is the belief that one has already attained it. Ironically, scripture describes people who trust in their own wisdom as fools (Proverbs 26:12 and Proverbs 28:26).

With that said, a crucial question has to be answered: Is there part of you that doesn’t think he lacks wisdom? Very few of us stop long enough to contemplate our answer. We put all our security in attempting to arrange our lives so all the pieces fall together and everything lines up just perfectly. This only breeds discontentment, confusion and frustration, which make pursuing Godly wisdom even that much more important.

You pursue wisdom by seeking God. There is something about the way in which we ask for wisdom that matters. It is an appeal according to something we believe about God. This pursuit is grounded in the words found in Isaiah 55:8-9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” It begins by acknowledging that even the smartest of us is not that brilliant when compared to the holiness, power and wisdom God possess.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).  So this morning, we encourage you to pause and think on God.  Look outside and see the expanse of the sky.  Look at your hand – God formed every cell and stretched the tendons and wrapped it in flesh.  He is big enough to stretch the sky and tender enough to clothe your hands.  We want to learn to trust Him.  We do this by seeing Him for who He really is and this is the beginning of wisdom.

Lord, this morning, I ask for wisdom from above. Help me to lay my pride aside and distrust my own eyes. May I seek your wisdom and your wisdom alone.  I ask with confidence in You and Your character!  Amen.

Take a few moments and share your thoughts. Where do you find yourself being wise in your own eyes?